The Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies (BILS) has called on labor organizations to play a greater role in greening the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, stressing the importance of a healthier work environment and climate resilience.
To promote this agenda, BILS held an advocacy meeting on 7th September at its Tongi regional office in Gazipur, with support from the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). Youth and women trade union leaders, as well as community representatives, participated in the discussion.
The session was chaired by Naimul Ahsan Jewel, Joint Coordinator of the Garments Workers-Employees Unity Council. BILS Director Nazma Yasmin moderated the program, while Nasrin Akhter Dina, General Secretary of the Women’s Committee of the Nationalist Labor Party, gave the welcome remarks. Md. Yusuf Al-Mamun, Deputy Director and Project Coordinator of BILS, outlined the project’s goals and activities.
Speakers emphasised that greening efforts should be a shared responsibility of workers, factory owners, government agencies, and local communities. They noted that sustainable practices in factories not only enhance workers’ wellbeing but also strengthen trade union activities.
The meeting also underscored the need to recognize environmental protection as a basic right. Participants urged authorities to designate separate areas for industrial, residential, and commercial use to avoid land-use conflicts. They further called for stricter measures to safeguard rivers by ensuring proper treatment of industrial waste.
Other recommendations included safe incineration of medical waste, particularly infectious materials, and the banning of polythene and plastic products to curb environmental pollution.
